hard (but not as hard) times

Hard (but not as hard) TimesTHE INTERVIEW PROJECT

Russ Engel

Sacred Heart

University

Overall, this was a great project to do. I love doing things like this because I love hearing what others have to say, and discussing different topics. Sometimes things like this cause debates and arguments, but it's all fun because you realize that people have their own opinions.

Inspiration

The project itself was a great experience for me because I was able to learn more about the economic issues over the past ninety years that affected my family members. Doing this project was an absolute joy. I inherited information from my grandfather and mother that I did not know before. The stories are priceless and are forever embedded into my mind.

The Original

Also, it was interesting to hear what my father had to say because you never know with that man, but this interview lead to more questioning of economics and government later at dinner that night. I would have to say if I could do this again I definitely would.

Who to Interview Before I state the instructions for the Interview Project, I want to make clear that they were written from my outline but edited by the students. The instructions for this project (provided here for comic relief) are:

Interview the oldest person you have a semi-close relationship with about the influence of macroeconomic events on their life.

Also interview one of your parents unless they are nuts and you hate them. If they are nuts and you hate them choose someone else around their age.

Finally, interview yourself.

I really enjoyed this project. It was a very clever assignment - getting the opinions from three different age groups in order to see how things have changed over the different generations……..I can certainly say that I also got a history lesson out of this assignment. It was so fascinating to hear "boring topics in history books" come to life in a fun and exciting way through the first hand experiences of "the old folks" ... it's true that they are a gift through their wisdom which can be shared for free with "us youngins".

How to Use the Interview Project in your Class

1. Facilitate student creation of the survey (Likert and open ended questions)

2. Have fun with the final selection/parliament time3. Try to assign over a holiday. If face-to-face interview

is not feasible, encourage skype or g-chat4. Collect results first. Then give students additional

time for the reflection piece

I enjoy doing assignments like this because I learn a lot about something I do not bring up in everyday conversation. It was especially good to get to interview my Grandfather before he really starts to forget everything from his past.

What Does a Completed Assignment Look Like?

Danielle's Blog

This project was a great learning experience. I like the way it applied economics to our everyday lives, while allowing us to learn more about our family members, and the past. I think it was fun to see how much they made at their first jobs, and get their opinions of which president was most successful economically. This project brought me closer to my family members because I realized how much we actually have in common.

The government should regulate the economy

Mode Mean MedianAll 4 3.28205 4

All Male

4 3.40476 4Male <25 3 3.33333 3Male 26-59 4 3.57143 4Male >60 4 3.35294 4All Female 4 3.33333 4Female <25 3 3.4 3.5Female 26-59 2 2.9 2.5Female >60 5 3.8 4Male and Female <25 3 3.28 3Male and Female 26-59 4 3.22222 4Male and Female >60 4 3.33333 4

Overall I really enjoyed the assignment because I learned a lot about the way my mom and grandma think and their views; it was my favorite project thus far in this class.

Politics has a major influence on the economy

Mode Mean Median

All 2 1.87671 2

All Male 2 1.92857 2

Male <25 2 1.83333 2

Male 26-59 1 1.85714 1.5

Male >60 2 2.05882 2

All Female 2 1.82143 2

Female <25 1 1.72727 2

Female 26-59 2 2 2

Female >60 2 1.8 2

Male and Female <25 2 1.75 2

Male and Female 26-59 2 2 2

Male and Female >60 2 2 2

Everyone should take an economics class in high school

Mode Mean Median

All 2 1.90541 2

All Male 2 1.92857 2

Male <25 2 2 2

Male 26-59 1 11.3571 1

Male >60 2 2.29412 2


Female <25 2 1.72727 2

Female 26-59 2 2.2 2

Female >60 2 1.83333 2


Male and Female 26-59 2 2.2 2

Male and Female >60 2 2.17391 2

Banks should be government owned

Mode Mean Median

All 4 3.88889 4

All Male 4 4.04762 4

Male <25 4 3.41667 3.5

Male 26-59 5 4.21429 4.5

Male >60 4 4.23594 4


Female <25 4 4.11111 4

Female 26-59 4 3.5 3.5

Female >60 4 3.5 3.5




The government bailouts worked

Mode Mean Median

All 2 3.15942 3

All Male 2 3.14634 3

Male <25 2 3.08333 3

Male 26-59 4 3.57143 4

Male >60 2 2.8125 3

All Female 3 3.24 3

Female <25 4 3.375 3.5

Female 26-59 3 3.3 3

Female >60 3 3.4 3




Local government should have more control

Mode Mean Median

All 4 2.875 3

All Male 4 2.925 3

Male <25 4 3.16667 3.5

Male 26-59 4 2.78571 2.5

Male >60 4 2.8 3


Female <25 2 2.81818 3

Female 26-59 4 3.2 3.5

Female >60 3 2.83333 3




Thus far, the interview that I conducted is my favorite homework assignment this semester. It gave me a chance to learn more about the past 70 or so years, how the times have changed with each generation, and it gave me an opportunity to learn more about my family members…………….I feel very undereducated about the economy after interviewing my grandfather and my father, and this has inspired me to pay more attention to economic news and the overall financial health of our country.

We should Invade IranMode Mean Median

All 4 3.7625 4

All Male 4 3.80952 4

Male <25 4 3.66667 4

Male 26-59 4 3.78571 4

Male >60 4 3.88235 4

All Female 4 4 4

Female <25 3 3.63636 4

Female 26-59 4 4.3 4

Female >60 4 4.16667 4

Male and Female <25 3 3.53846 3.5

Male and Female 26-59 4 4 4


Overall, this assignment was very fun! I liked how we were able to change our blogs for a bit and conduct surveys :) I wouldn’t mind doing another assignment similar to this!

In 6 months the economy will be better than today

Mode Mean Median

All 2 2.83117 3

All Male 4 3.02381 3

Male <25 4 2.83333 2.5

Male 26-59 4 3.5 4

Male >60 4 2.82353 3


Female <25 2 2.72727 3

Female 26-59 2 2.3 2

Female >60 2 2.83333 2.5


Male and Female 26-59 2 2.84615 3


I enjoyed this assignment more than I thought I would. When we were first told about this assignment I dreaded it, but once I started asking the questions and got the responses I kind of wanted to continue more. The people I asked the questions to were ones that meant something in my life, so to hear their responses and how the economy affected their lives it really hit me hard. So to say what surprised me the most, I would say the toll it took on me once they were both done answering the questions I had for them.

I am well informed about economic news

Mode Mean Median

All 2 2.4375 2

All Male 4 2.2619 2

Male <25 4 2.91667 2.5

Male 26-59 4 2 2

Male >60 4 2.11767 2


Female <25 4 3.09091 3

Female 26-59 2 2.6 2.5

Female >60 2 2.66667 2.5

Male and Female <25 2 2.88462 2.5

Male and Female 26-59 2 2.22222 2


I think that this project was a perfect way to show me and my classmates that we really need to start being more aware of the economic state that the countries in and realize that for change we have to do something. I think that this project should be done with future classes because it taught me a lot and I enjoyed doing it.

The recession personally effected me

Mode Mean Median

All 2 2.24051 2

All Male 2 2.19048 2

Male <25 5 2.58333 2

Male 26-59 5 1.87143 1.5

Male >60 2 2.29412 2


Female <25 2 2.63636 3

Female 26-59 2 1.8 2

Female >60 4 2.6 2


Male and Female 26-59 2 1.77778 2


This assignment was really fun I enjoyed learning about the difference in economics over the years and how some things haven’t changed. In the end this whole assignment really opened my eyes to the changes that this economy has seen for good or for bad. It was really interesting to see how much prices and technology has changed. I really had a good time interviewing my mom and uncle and hearing them talk about their past. This was probably one of my favorite blog posts that we have had to do. I mean it took a while but it was worth it.

At first, I was discontented about the thought of another project to complete over Easter break. After looking at the interview questions and requirements however, I was intrigued. …..The most fun I had with the project was with the short answer questions. They really sparked discussion and I learned things I never would have known without this project……Overall, I loved doing this project. I found it to be really interesting and it hardly felt like an assignment but more of a learning experience. It was fascinating to see the different changes our economy faced and be able to hear it from people who lived during that time

“That there are some who were untouched or, indeed, did rather well isn’t exactly news. This has been true of all disasters. The great many were wounded, in one manner or another. It left upon them an ‘invisible scar’….The suddenly-idle hands blamed themselves, rather than society. True, there were hunger marches and protestations to City Hall and Washington, but the millions experienced a private kind of shame when the pink slip came. No matter that others suffered the same fate, the inner voice whispered, ‘I’m a failure.’” –Studs Terkel

How to Use the Interview Project in your Class

1. Facilitate student creation of the survey (Likert and open ended questions)

2. Have fun with the final selection/parliament time3. Try to assign over a holiday. If face-to-face interview

is not feasible, encourage skype or g-chat4. Collect results first. Then give students additional

time for the reflection piece

Who to Interview Before I state the instructions for the Interview Project, I want to make clear that they were written from my outline but edited by the students. The instructions for this project (provided here for comic relief) are:

Interview the oldest person you have a semi-close relationship with about the influence of macroeconomic events on their life.

Also interview one of your parents unless they are nuts and you hate them. If they are nuts and you hate them choose someone else around their age.

Finally, interview yourself.

hard (but not as hard) times

Documents

great project

facetoface interview

danielles blogthis project

butthis interview lead

family members

great experience

completed assignment

different topics